Sustaining and stabilizing attachment for aeroplanes.



1 v G. F. WARREN.

SUSTAiNING AND STABILIZING ATTACHMENT FOR AEROPLANES.

T APPLICATION FILED 1UNE15, l9l5- 1,10,347. Patented Ap1'.-25,1916

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

amuembz 6 2'5 Mime,

SUM/nu APPLICATION FILED JUNE l5, 19H).

7 PZITGIltPd Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET21 mww awuemto'a l m- Memes orincn GEORGE F. WARREN, 0FDOUBLE BAYOU, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 ELTON L.

-MITCHELL, OF DOUBLE BAYOU, TEXAS.

susmmme AND sminmzme ATTACHMENT roa annoPLAnne.

Application filed June 15, 1915. Serial Iva 34,186.

ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchaswill enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to, makeand use the same.

This invention relates to a sustaining and stabilizing attachment foraeroplanes, contemplating particularly the provision of an auxiliarypropeller designed to be driven from an auxiliary motor and to be throwninto action either upon the failure of the propelling mechanism employedor the plunging of the machine ina downward and forward direction, tosustain the machine in the air and at the same time correct anyinstability so that a safe landing may be made.

One object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the characterspecified embodying a lifting and stabilizing propeller, a normallyinactive motor for driving the same, and means for throwing the said motor into action when occasion requires.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety appliance ofthe designated character in which the propeller, when in active, isdisposed horizontally upon the body of the machine so as to offerminimum headresistance, and in which means are pro vided forsimultaneously adjusting said propeller to an operative position andthrowing its motor into .action.'

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novelconstruction and arrangement of means for adjusting the propeller andcontrolling the auxiliary motor, whereby. the propeller may be instantlythrown which will appear as the nature of the ininto action wheneverdanger exists in order that the aviator may maintam or regain completecontrolv over the machine.

With these and other objects in View,

vention is better disclosed, the invention consists of the features ofconstruction, combin'ation and arrangement ofp arts, hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,in

which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, rate.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flying machine of the monoplane typeembodying my invention, and showing the auxiliary pro- Fig. 4 is avertical transverse section sho wing the mode of constructing andmounting the auxiliary propeller; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.3, illustrating a modification .in the controlling mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the stream-line body or nacelleof anaeroplane of the monoplane type, which-body is mounted upon a'suitable launching and alighting base 2 and is equipped with the usualstability fins or tailspiece 3, a horizontal rudder 4, andua verticalrudder 5, which rudders may be operatedthrough any suitable style ofcontrolling gear. As shown in the present instance, the machine isprovided at the rear with a driving propeller 6 mount ed on a shaft 7extending longitudinally through the tail portion of the body, whichshaft receives motion fromadriving motor 8 arranged within the body. Thebody 1 carries a supporting surface consisting of wings orplanes 9 ofany ordinary type, and is provided with the usual cockpit 1'0. 7

While I have described a type'of monoplane to which the invention isshown applied for purpose of exemplification, it will,

of course, be understood that the invention may also be appliedto'biplanes or other mulwith a gear casing oryoke 14 mounted to swinglongitudinally on a horizontal transverse shaft 15. The shaft 15 isjournaled in suitable bearings 16 upon the top of the body 1, at a pointadjacent to and immediately in rear of the cockpit 10, and is soarranged as to permit the propeller to be normally swung downwardly andrearwardly to a substantially horizontal position upon the top oflthebody, as indicated in dotted lines in-Fig.

I 3, sothatwhen out. of use it Will lie out of 7 within tliebody, whichshaft 22 also carries a "beveled gear 23 meshing with a beveledthecourse of theair stream and consequently will opposev but aminimumamount of addedresistance to the progress of flight of the-machine 1 YThe shaft 12 carries at its end withinthe igear 'casing a beveled gear17 meshing with a similar gear 18 ontheshaft 15, and on said shaft l isarranged'asprocket gear 19 connected by a chain ,20-with a sprocket gear21 one horizontal transverse shaft locked drivingfgear2 on the ,shaftofan auxiliary .mo'tor 2 5." It'will beevident that this-construction ofdriving gearing permits the propeller to be swung from anorm'alhorizontal positionupwardly and forwardly to a verticalworking position.as illustrated in a Fig, 3, iii-which working position the blades"ofthe' propeller revolve in a horizontal path ilandfact togive alifting impulse to sustain the fmachine in theair. V

" Preferably, the lifting propeller'jis so arranged that when. adjustedto working positionits sustaining actionwvill be aboutin line withfthecenters of gravity-and pressure, or a little in advancethereofljsothat'in theevent j of the derangement of the 'normal driving (o1;propelling mechanism of the machine the ,propeller. 11 may bethrown-into action and driven from themotor 25, said propelleroperating. when in action to sustain the whole or' a greater. proportionof. the wpight -ofthe machine as-well as to maintain longi- 1 tudinalstabilitygflThemotor 25'may be'ia coinparatively lightmotor of lesspower than the motor 8,- but of sufiicient power to drive a sustainingpropeller of the character de scribed. As, sh0WIi,the motor 25 isprovided with anautomatic starting. device. 26having.

,a'. trip' proje'ction 27 whereby it may: be

thrown" into operation. v p

The mechanism for adjusting the propeller 11' andth-rowing-the motor 25into action '1 maybe ofsuch a; type as to be automatically ormanu'al'ly' operated, and, if desired,'to be operated automatically. byan {instinctive movement-of the ope'rator, such as occurs when themachine begins to fall head first.

' Inthe present instance I have shown a pri mary operating deviceconsisting of the back 28 of the aviat'o rs seat 29. which back'28 ispivoted to swing ina fore and aft direction on an aXis 30 and hasconnected "therewith a crankarm 31 limited in its forward movement byastop 32 and coupledby means of a connecting .rod 33 with a crank arm 34on a shaft 35,- which 'shaftis providedwith an-' other crank arm36,connected by a link 37 "wiiththe propeller sleeve 13, theconstruction beng such that a backward movement of the seat 28will throw the arm3l..forward and in so doing "transmit motion to the bell crank formed bythe arms 34: andSGand the link 37 to'swing the propeller 11 to anupright position for operation, the link 37 being in such positionself-locking to, hold the propeller in its Working position. By

manually swinging the seat 28 forwardly or swinging the propellerbackwardly after breakingthe lock joint between the .lever 37 and arm36, the propeller may be returned to normal position after havingperformed its intended sustaining andstabilizing function. Theconnectingi-od 33 is provided with a projection 39 adapted on-itsforward movement to engage the trip member 27, so

"that when the propeller is adjusted toworking positionthe motor 25 willalso be set into action to drive the gearing whereby the propeller isoperated. I

It will thus be understood that if the ordinary propelling mechanism ofthe machine should stop or'beco'me inoperative from any cause, theaviator may throw the propeller .11 intogaction, sothat themachine willbe sustained and its stability maintained, allowing a safe descent to bemade. If, for any cause, the machine shoultflose its fore and aftbalance and tilt downwardly and forwardly, .aninstinctive backwardmovement of the aviator will throw the propeller 11 and motor 25 "intoaction, the propeller serving to resist further loss of stability and tosustain thelmachine and lift the forward end thereof untilthe-longitudinal stability ,is regained. The invention thus provides asafety v attachment which maybe applied to any ordinary flying machinefor the purpose of sustaining the machine in the event of thederangement of its propelling mechanlsm, as well as preventing themaehme froni turning over, as whepjifi a "'air' hole ljis encountered orthe-machine plunges? downwardly and forwardly from any othqr cause.

It will, of course, be understood th'h'tm odifications in theconstruction and arra 'ge" struction of the attachment being otherwisethe same as that previously described;-

Havmg thus described my invention, I

, claim:

1. A flying machine including a body, a lifting and sustaining propellernormally arranged in a horizontal position and adapted for adjustment toa vertical position for action, afnormally inactive motor for (l -i mgsaid propeller, and means for simultaneously ad usting the'propeller tooperanormally inactive motor in gear with the propeller, and meansoperative by the aviator for simultaneously shifting the propeller toWorking position and starting the motor. I

l. A flying machine including a body, a lifting and sustaining propellermovable from a normally inoperative to an operative I position, anormally inactive motor, and a means for simultaneously shifting thepropeller to Working position and starting the motor.

5. In a flying machine, a body, propelling mechanism, an auxiliarylifting and sustaining propeller pivotally mounted for move ment from anormally inactive to aworking position, an auxiliary motor in gear Withsaid propeller, a starting device associated with said motor, a movableelement provided with means for throwing said starting device intoaction, and a connection between said element and the propeller foradjusting the propeller to working position simultaneously with theactuation of said starting device.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE F. WARREN.

Witnesses:

EUGENE Benson, Mrs. E. BEESON.

